On March 11, 2014 while 6,000 delegates from the world’s Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) gathered at the United Nations for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Hadassah’s UN Team presented a parallel session entitled “A Healthy Woman is an Empowered Woman.” Garnering several dozen attendees from a crowded field of events, the program presented compelling information about women’s health – especially heart health – and gave people the tools to spread this message across the globe. Ruth Cole and Renee Albert, Hadassah UN Team Leaders, co-chaired the event assisted by Judy Padolf and Ruth Grossberg, Hadassah UN Team members.

The speakers were Dr. Padmini Murthy, Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, and Hadassah’s own Ellen Hershkin. Padmini Murthy, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., CHES, is Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management as well as Family and Community Medicine, and the Global Health Director at New York Medical College. Josephine Ojiambo, MD, MPH, is Former Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations, Chief of the Executive Board and External Relations Branch at UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and a graduate of the Hebrew University – Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, as well as a Life Member of Hadassah. Ellen Hershkin is the Coordinator of the PRAZE (PRogramming, Advocacy, Zionism, and Education) Division at Hadassah.

Both physicians related heart health to the ability to raise a family and to earn a livelihood, making special mention of the gender disparity in heart health research. They warned that genetics, hormones, and lifestyle mix together to affect our health, urging listeners to be mindful of nutrition and exercise while also keeping track of family histories of heart disease.

Dr. Murthy taught that heart disease -- including vascular problems and high blood pressure -- is on the rise everywhere, not just in the developing nations. She gave attendees tools for recognizing a heart attack, praising the information cards from Every Beat Counts: Hadassah’s Heart Health Program. Dr. Ojiambo stressed proper nutrition and general fitness as weapons against heart disease, while also speaking very highly of Hadassah Medical Organization and its outstanding achievements. Ms. Hershkin gave the attendees tools they can use to partner with Hadassah units and bring Every Beat Counts events to their communities.

Learn more about Every Beat Counts: Hadassah’s Heart Health Program, and check out the map showing events across the country, at www.hadassah.org/EveryBeatCounts

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